When the 2017 Toyota 86 rolled up to our office, my first instinct was to pass it over to our resident car expert Sam, for two simple reasons. First, he’s the car expert. Second, he actually already drives the Toyota 86, so this review would be a breeze for him to write. However much to my surprise (and his hidden delight), he thought it would be much better if I drove it around instead, which leads us to this piece, dear reader. Can someone who drives a 4-door hatchback learn to love driving around a car whose height nearly reaches his waist?Toyota certainly wants to try and draw attention on the roads with the 86, and it does this through a combination of design cues and some interesting color options. Our model came with the Orange Metallic paint job, and honestly I can safely say that I’ve never driven around an orange car before in my life. Paint color aside, the 86 does have some sharp design elements that make it stand out when on the roads. The low, angled front gives way to a gently curved body that nimbly cuts through wind resistance as you drive. There are TRD aero fins on front fenders ‘wings’ near the side mirrors, again to direct airflow around the car and reduce drag. A large and imposing mesh grille in the front of the car sits between the fog lamps and narrow HID headlamps, making for a bold look in anyone’s rear-view mirror. On its own, the 86 looks fairly decent, but Toyota one-upped themselves with the availability of the TRD body kit, which our review model came equipped with. A large front lip spoiler extends from below the front grille, finished in a striking black color that contrasted well with the orange. There are TRD aero fins below the turning signals that sit on the front wheel arches, with the black finishing extending to the side skirts and the lower half of the side mirrors. At the back you’ve got a sportier-looking diffuser and TRD quad tipped cat back exhaust, along with a sharp body-colored spoiler that rests on the trunk lid. In short, this really elevates the look of the 86, giving it a much more sportier vibe than the standard version.The 86 is in short, a car that’s built for two. While there are technically two seats at the back, I struggle to imagine what it would be like for anyone sitting in them, especially if I’m the one driving. With the driver’s seat fully extended to accommodate me, I would essentially leave zero legroom for anyone to sit behind me, unless they were going to sit cross-legged the entire journey. It’s probably best if at some point Toyota just makes this a two-seater car and converts the rear seats into more boot space. Having said that, the rear seats do fold down, so it’s probably best you keep them folded flat so as to deter your friends from trying to hitch a ride with you.The interiors of the 86 make you feel like you should be wearing a helmet and tearing around a racetrack rather than making the dull commute to work. A leather-clad three-spoke steering wheel is the first thing that greets you, with convenient audio and menu navigation controls located on the left and right sides. Aluminum pedals compliment the sporty feel of the car, and a simply laid out instrument cluster keeps everything front-and-center for the driver. Physical climate controls sit on the center column, just below an Android-powered entertainment system with built-in satellite navigation. I half-expected leather seats to be featured, but instead there are fabric ones which will be much-preferred with the high temperatures experienced here. Climbing into the 86 isn’t too difficult, but it’s a bit awkward for me when climbing out of it every single time, simply because I’m used to a much higher seating level in my normal car. It’s certainly nothing to fault the 86 for, as I’m sure with practice I can graciously step out of it without looking like a flailing giraffe. Having the looks of a sports car means nothing if it doesn’t drive like one, and in that respect the Toyota 86 does check a few boxes at least. Its low profile helps the car hug the road as you drive around corners, and should you be ambitious enough you can lower the car even more for even tighter handling although this is aftermarket solution. The car approaches corners quite well, and the steering’s response time allows you to deftly change lanes with minimal effort. Braking is similarly tight, with the 86 responding immediately to the brake pedal without making it seem too abrupt. While the car’s suspension is quite smooth, you will still feel some NVH within the cabin. The car lacks mid-range torque – the initial ‘give’ is there when you mash down the pedal, but you really feel the car’s movement only when the engine opens up fully. This seems to happen only on the automatic transmission – for manual you’ve got finer control that gets you going a bit faster.So who’s the Toyota 86 for? If you enjoy a speed and control while you drive, then this is the car for you. If it’s just yourself driving the car around or with a partner, then this is the car for you. For anyone else, the small interior might seem a bit impractical, but this car isn’t about practicality – it’s about sliding into the driver’s seat and forgetting about your day job and the mundane responsibilities that come with being an adult.

Review model priced at AED 109,900

2017 Toyota 86 Review

If you’re in the market for your first sports car, Toyota has just the thing.

Nick Rego

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When the 2017 Toyota 86 rolled up to our office, my first instinct was to pass it over to our resident car expert Sam, for two simple reasons. First, he’s the car expert. Second, he actually already drives the Toyota 86, so this review would be a breeze for him to write. However much to my surprise (and his hidden delight), he thought it would be much better if I drove it around instead, which leads us to this piece, dear reader. Can someone who drives a 4-door hatchback learn to love driving around a car whose height nearly reaches his waist?Toyota certainly wants to try and draw attention on the roads with the 86, and it does this through a combination of design cues and some interesting color options. Our model came with the Orange Metallic paint job, and honestly I can safely say that I’ve never driven around an orange car before in my life. Paint color aside, the 86 does have some sharp design elements that make it stand out when on the roads. The low, angled front gives way to a gently curved body that nimbly cuts through wind resistance as you drive. There are TRD aero fins on front fenders ‘wings’ near the side mirrors, again to direct airflow around the car and reduce drag. A large and imposing mesh grille in the front of the car sits between the fog lamps and narrow HID headlamps, making for a bold look in anyone’s rear-view mirror. On its own, the 86 looks fairly decent, but Toyota one-upped themselves with the availability of the TRD body kit, which our review model came equipped with. A large front lip spoiler extends from below the front grille, finished in a striking black color that contrasted well with the orange. There are TRD aero fins below the turning signals that sit on the front wheel arches, with the black finishing extending to the side skirts and the lower half of the side mirrors. At the back you’ve got a sportier-looking diffuser and TRD quad tipped cat back exhaust, along with a sharp body-colored spoiler that rests on the trunk lid. In short, this really elevates the look of the 86, giving it a much more sportier vibe than the standard version.The 86 is in short, a car that’s built for two. While there are technically two seats at the back, I struggle to imagine what it would be like for anyone sitting in them, especially if I’m the one driving. With the driver’s seat fully extended to accommodate me, I would essentially leave zero legroom for anyone to sit behind me, unless they were going to sit cross-legged the entire journey. It’s probably best if at some point Toyota just makes this a two-seater car and converts the rear seats into more boot space. Having said that, the rear seats do fold down, so it’s probably best you keep them folded flat so as to deter your friends from trying to hitch a ride with you.The interiors of the 86 make you feel like you should be wearing a helmet and tearing around a racetrack rather than making the dull commute to work. A leather-clad three-spoke steering wheel is the first thing that greets you, with convenient audio and menu navigation controls located on the left and right sides. Aluminum pedals compliment the sporty feel of the car, and a simply laid out instrument cluster keeps everything front-and-center for the driver. Physical climate controls sit on the center column, just below an Android-powered entertainment system with built-in satellite navigation. I half-expected leather seats to be featured, but instead there are fabric ones which will be much-preferred with the high temperatures experienced here. Climbing into the 86 isn’t too difficult, but it’s a bit awkward for me when climbing out of it every single time, simply because I’m used to a much higher seating level in my normal car. It’s certainly nothing to fault the 86 for, as I’m sure with practice I can graciously step out of it without looking like a flailing giraffe. Having the looks of a sports car means nothing if it doesn’t drive like one, and in that respect the Toyota 86 does check a few boxes at least. Its low profile helps the car hug the road as you drive around corners, and should you be ambitious enough you can lower the car even more for even tighter handling although this is aftermarket solution. The car approaches corners quite well, and the steering’s response time allows you to deftly change lanes with minimal effort. Braking is similarly tight, with the 86 responding immediately to the brake pedal without making it seem too abrupt. While the car’s suspension is quite smooth, you will still feel some NVH within the cabin. The car lacks mid-range torque – the initial ‘give’ is there when you mash down the pedal, but you really feel the car’s movement only when the engine opens up fully. This seems to happen only on the automatic transmission – for manual you’ve got finer control that gets you going a bit faster.So who’s the Toyota 86 for? If you enjoy a speed and control while you drive, then this is the car for you. If it’s just yourself driving the car around or with a partner, then this is the car for you. For anyone else, the small interior might seem a bit impractical, but this car isn’t about practicality – it’s about sliding into the driver’s seat and forgetting about your day job and the mundane responsibilities that come with being an adult.